Method and means for producing unitized load package



2 Sheets-Sheet l 19 INVENTOR.

E. S. MARNON April 19, 1966 METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING UNITIZED LOAD PACKAGE Filed April 15, 1963 April 19, 1966 E. s. MARNON 3,245,744

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING UNITIZED LOAD PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1965 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

United States Patent 3,246,744 METHQB AND MEANS FGR PRQ'DUCENG UNETEZED LOAD PAQKAGE Edward S. Mar-non, Eiregon City, @reg. (3%? NE. 59th Ave, Portland, Greg.) Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 275,472 9 Claims. (Cl. 2665) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 217,703, filed August 17, 1962, now abandoned, entitled Unitized Food Package for Mechanical Handling and Method of Forming the Package.

T his invention relates to the packaging of articles, and more particularly to a method and means for packaging articles where the articles are stacked and a pair of continuous bands are placed in covering relation over the ends and various sides of the stack to form a unit package. As a unit package, handling of the articles using conveyors, clamping mechanisms, lift devices, etc. is facilitated.

The unit package of the invention is a completely stable unit, having a protective covering extending over all sides and the top and bottom thereof. inexpensive packaging materials may be employed to form the unit package. Important feature in the invention is that in the completed unit package, those portions of the bands that extend over the various sides of the stack are secured together to form a rigid column. Rigidity results by reason of the fact that the rigidity that a flat piece has in a direction paralleling the plane of its face is utilized to brace the package along the corners thereof.

if desired, and in a specific embodiment of the invention, spacer elements are provided adjacent one end of the package unit which define channels at this one end accommodating the insertion under the end of lifting devices, such as lift forks.

A general object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved kind of package for a load, comprising covering bands enveloping the load on all sides and connected together so as to form a rigid column encompassing the load.

Another object is to provide a novel method for packaging a load, using a pair of continuous bands placed about the load, with one band covering one pair of opposite sides and the top and bottom thereof, and the other band covering the other pair of opposite sides.

A further object is to provide a novel package, for a plurality of separate and distinct articles, where said articles are stacked to form a pillar therefrom, and covering bands are placed about said pillar, on all sides, such being connected together to form a rigid column snugly enveloping said pillar of articles.

By way of general explanation, and in an embodiment of the invention, articles such as cartons and the like are first stacked in tiers to form a pillar of substantially rectangular cross section. An elongated covering band substantially as wide as the pillar is then wrapped around the top and bottom and one pair of opposite sides of the pillar of articles. This band after it is secured in place about the articles binds the individual packages into a load unit. To complete the unit package, a second band is wrapped around the other pair of opposite sides in the pillar, and the top and bottom of the pillar, said second band being at right angles to the first. This second band is then secured at its edges and along the corners of the pillar to adjacent edges of the first band, so that each portion of the second hand that extends as a flat expanse over a side of the pillar functions to brace the first band where it is connected thereto, with said first band inhibited from bending in a direction paralleling the plane of the face of the second band.

In effect, a rigid column is formed which will hold its shape even when subjected to very severe handling.

For the purpose of making the unit package even more rigid, pad inserts, ordinarily having a rectangular outline matching the cross section of the pillar of articles, may be interspersed between various tiers of articles. The pad inserts distribute the load within the package unit, and lend rigidity inhibiting twisting of the load. By securing the bands mentioned at the locations of the inserts, in effect, rigid cellular structure is formed at the location of each insert. Also important, the inserts provide stability when the unit package is partially broken down, since when the outer band is removed and while the pillar of articles or the load is bound together only with the inner band, the inserts help prevent articles in the pillar from being dislodged and falling out to one of the sides of the pillar which were exposed by the removal of the outer band.

At the ends of the load, the bands provide a cushion protecting the stack of articles, should lift forks or other devices be inserted thereunder. Pad inserts may be included at the ends to provide additional protection. The crossed bands at the ends of the stack also function to form a rigid platform that holds the bottom of the stack in a flat plane when the unit package has its bottom end raised from the ground.

Thus, a further and more specific object is to provide a unit package which comprises bands covering the sides of a load, as described, and connections between adjacent edges of the bands, along the corners of the package unit, whereby rigidity is produced at the corners and a rigid column is formed by the covering for the load.

A further specific object is to provide such a unit package for a stack of articles, which includes pad inserts within the unit package dividing tiers of articles therein,

said inserts coupling the articles together to inhibit their shifting within the package unit, and also serving to distribute the load within the unit package.

A still further object is to provide a unit package which can be partially disassembled to expose articles therein, with such articles still being bound together with the unit in its partially disassembled state.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, and the same is described below in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view, showing a stack of individual cartons or boxes, with such arranged in tiers, and bands as contemplated by this invention under the stack, as they might be prior to being wrapped around the stack to form a unit package;

FIG. 2 is a perspective vie-w showing a completed unit package, with the bands wrapped around the packages and connected together;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken generally along the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, showing a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, illustrating a still further modification of the invention, with one of the bands disconnected;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating yet another modification of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view, taken through the base of yet another form of unit package, according to a further modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and first of all more particularly to FIG. 1, here there is illustrated a stack of articles or load elements lit, such as boxes or cartons and the like. The articles are stacked in tiers, and form a vertical pillar having a substantially rectangular cross section.

To make a rigid unit package of the articles illustrated in FIG. 1, a pair of continuous bands, shown at 11 and 13, are provided, which extend across the bottom of the load, at right angles to each other. These bands have substantially the same width as the sides of the load, so that in a completed unit package, with the bands wrapped around the load the bands completely cover and protect the top, bottom and sides of the load. The bands may be made of any suitable material, such as corrugated. paperboard, cardboard, heavy paper, cloth, plastic, etc.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a unit package is contemplated which lends itself to being picked up by means of lift forks and like devices. Thus, spacer elements 12 are shown positioned under the bottom end of the stack of articles or load elements. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the spacer elements define channels 14 between inner band 11 and outer band 13, into which lift forks may be inserted for the purpose of lifting the load. As best seen in FIG. 1, the spacer elements may be glued or otherwise secured to a pad 15, of corrugated paperboard or other material. This pad, in turn, may be glued or otherwise secured to the bottom of band 11. In this way spacer elements 12 become an integral part of the inner band, and remain with the inner band together with the articles bound thereby, after disattachment and removal of outer band 13.

The completed unit package is formed by first wrapping inner band 11 around the bottom, top and two sides of the stacked articles or load elements. The inner band then binds the stacked elements into a unit. The outer band 13 is then wrapped around the spacer elements and the other sides of the stacked articles or load elements, with all sides of the stack of articles then protected by the bands.

In the completed unit package, the adjacent edges of the bands, along the four upright corners of the stack, are secured together, as by taping. In FIG. 2, pieces of tape indicated at 21 are used for this purpose. By taping together the adjacent edges of the bands, gapping of the bands is prevented. The portion of each band that extends upwardly aiong a side of the stack occupies substantially a vertical plane, and like any piece of sheet material has substantial rigidity in directions paralleling the plane thereof. By securing together the adjacent edges of these portions of the bands at the corners of the stack, the rigidity of each band portion in directions paralleling the plane of its face is imparted to the adjacent band, which is perpendicular to it (and which without such connections is easily flexed). In effect, rigid corners are formed extending vertically along the four corners of the stack of articles, and from the stack of disconnected articles a rigid column is produced. Without this edge attachment, rigidity in the stack of articles is produced solely as the result of frictional contact between the various layers of articles, and the rigidity of the bound load is considerably less.

According to this invention, the ends of bands 11 and 13 are tensed as by pulling on the ends, when they are folded up and. positioned along the sides of the stack. While these ends remain under tension they are folded over the top of the stack, and secured together, as by pieces of tape 16 and 18. This results in the bands being stretched tightly along the sides of the unit package, and contributes to greater rigidity in the completed unit package.

In FIG. 1 it will be seen that band 11 actually comprises two parts, indicated at 11a and 11b, which are taped or otherwise secured together at the bottom of the load with tape 17. In this way, a continuous band is produced extending over the bottom of the stack. Similarly, band 13 comprises parts 13a and 13b connected together by tape 19. The bands, of course, could be formed as single strips, and only have ends at the top end of the stack taped together, or otherwise secured in place.

As best shown in FIG. 2, band 13 in the completed unit package has been cut away at 20, to enable lift forks to enter between the spacer elements from those sides of the unit package covered by band 13. With such cutouts provided, lift forks may be used to lift the load with such inserted under the load from any of the four sides thereof.

With band 13 removed, quick and easy access to the individual articles or load elements in the stack is permitted from the sides of the stack exposed by the removal of band 13. With band 13 removed, band 11 continues to bind the load elements together.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a rigid pad insert 22 is shown inserted between the top and the next to the top tier of articles. A similar insert 23 separates the bottom tier of articles from the one directly above. Another pad insert is shown substantially midway between the top and bottom ends of the stack. These pad inserts have an outline corresponding to the cross section of the pillar defined by the stack. They may be made of cardboard, corrugated paperboard, etc.

In the completed unit package, as shown in FIG. 2, tapes 21 bind the edges of the bands at the locations of the pad inserts mentioned. With such a construction, the rigidity of the pad inserts in a horizontal direction is imparted to the unit package at points corresponding to where the rigidity of the corners in the unit package is the greatest.

The pad inserts function to distribute the load within the unit package, and also serve to stabilize it. The inserts couple together the separate articles forming adjacent tiers, and inhibit relative twisting of the ends of the unit package. With outer band 13 removed, and. the load bound only by band 11, the inserts by coupling together the various articles serve to inhibit loose articles from falling out to a side of a stack no longer covered by a band.

Referring now to FIG. 6, here a modification of the unit package of the invention is illustrated, such as may be used when handling with conveyor equipment, or vacuum or clamp attachment mechanisms. In this modification of the invention, the spacer elements are omitted, and bands 30, 31 pass directly across each other at the base of the stack of articles. In this modification of the invention, articles 33 are shown which have a square outline, and thus there is no interlocking of the articles in the stack. With such shaped articles, pad inserts such as those shown at 34 are even more important in providing stability in the unit package.

As in the case of the first modification of the invention discussed, bands 30, 31 are secured together along the sides of the load, at adjacent edges, to form rigid corners and produce a rigid column of the stack of articles. In preparing the unit package, preferably the bands are tensed as they are drawn up along the sides of the stack and before folding them over at the top, further to increase the total rigidity of the finished unit package.

In FIG. 7 a modification of the invention is illustrated where a unit package such as the one shown in FIG. 6 is provided with spacers which enable it to be picked up with lift forks. Thus, in FIG. 7, spacers 36 are shown secured to a pad 37, which is placed under outer band 31. Pad 3'7 may be bonded to the outer face of band 31 to make the spacers an integral part of the unit package.

Referring to FIG. 4-, here a modification of the invention is shown where tape 25 connecting the edges of the bands extends completely around the unit package, i.e. girdles the unit package. The tape possesses tensile strength, and by this construction the strength of the tape supplements the strength of the bands in a direction extending transversely of the bands. Using the continuous tape at the locations of the inserts, the bands may be drawn tightly against the edges of the inserts distributed in the load to produce a fully coupled unit.

In FIG. 5, strips of tape 26 are shown applied to band 11 before band 13 is wrapped about the stack. Tape 26 extends between those portions of band 11 that extend along opposite sides of the stack. Preferably tape 26 is placed at the location of inserts 23, 22 and 24. In the completed unit package, additional tape connecting together adjacent edges of the bands may be applied.

From the foregoing description, it should be obvious that a novel unit package is contemplated whereby a rigid column is produced from a series of articles or load elements stacked in tiers. The package contemplated is useful in handling many different types of articles. For instance, according to this invention an item may first be packaged in rectangular boxes or cartons, and such cartons stacked in tiers to form a vertical pillar of rectangular cross section, substantially as shown. The two bands may then be placed at right angles to each other, and secured about the pillar of boxes with the bands drawn tightly about the boxes. With the edges of the bands secured together at the corners of the load, a rigid final column results.

The unit package contemplated is simple, and inexpensively made. The unit package is readily adapted to hold different sizes and types of articles.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described herein, other forms of the invention are possible without departing therefrom. It is desired to cover all variations and modifications of the invention that would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

5. A package for a load comprising a continuous inner band surrounding the load and extending across the top, and bottom and along the two sides of the load,

said band having substantially the width of said two sides it extends along whereby it covers and protects the two sides,

spacing elements below said band at the bottom of the load and separated from the load by portions of said band at the bottom of the load, said spacing elements being spaced from each other in a direction which is transverse to the direction at the bottom of the load extending between said two sides, and

a continuous outer band extending over said spacing elements at the bottom of the load and also across the top and along the other two sides of the load, said outer band at the bottom of the load extending in the transverse direction in which said spacing elements are spaced from each other,

said outer band also having substantially the width of the two sides it surrounds whereby it protects and covers the two sides,

said spacing elements at the bottom of the load and between said inner and outer bands defining channels for receiving lift elements when lifting the load.

2. The package for a load of claim 1, wherein said spacing elements are secured to said inner band, and said outer band is unjoined to said spacing elements, whereby on removal of said outer band the load and said inner band that surrounds it may be lifted free of the outer band with the spacing elements included.

3. The combination of a pillar of stacked articles with the articles stacked in successive tiers,

said articles forming a pillar of substantially rectangular cross section,

pad inserts separating adjacent tiers of said articles, in-

cluding one adjacent the bottom, and one adjacent the top of said pillar of articles,

a first continuous band extending across the bottom and top of the pillar and including side portions extending along one pair of opposite sides of the pillar,

said band having a width which is substantially coextensive with the width of the sides of the pillar that it extends over,

a second continuous band at right angles to the first extending across the bottom and top of the pillar and including side portions extending along the other pair of sides of the pillar, said second hand having a width which is substantially coextensive with a width of the sides of the pillar that it covers, and means connecting the edges of said side portions of the bands together, whereby a rigid four-cornered column of rectangular cross section is formed about the load, said means including for each corner of the column a connection adjacent the top and bottom of the column between adjacent edges of the side portions, whereby the rigidity of one side portion in a direction paralleling the plane of its face is imparted to the side portion connected thereto. 7 4. The combination of claim 3, where the means connecting the edges of said side portions are located at the levels of said pad inserts.

5. A method of forming a package for a load for handling by a fork truck, or the like, that comprises,

placing said load in position relative to a band and wrapping the band completely about the package to cover the top, bottom and two sides of the load, placing spacer elements adjacent the bottom of the load below said band with said elements spaced from each other in a direction which is transverse to a direction at the bottom of the load extending between the two sides of the load which have been covered by the band, and wrapping a second hand around said spacer elements, the two other sides and the top of said load to cover said other two sides, with said second band at the bottom of a load extending in the transverse direction in which said elements are spaced from each other, whereby space is provided between said first and second bands and between the spacer elements for receiving lift elements, such as forks, for lifting said load. 6. A method of forming a package for a load for handling by a fork truck or the like that comprises,

placing said load in position relative to a band and wrapping the band completely about the package to cover the top, bottom and two sides of a load, spacing spacer elements over the bottom of the load below the band, with said elements spaced from each other in a direction which is transverse to a direction at the bottom of the load extending between the two sides of the load which have been covered by the band, joining said spaced spacer elements to the bottom of the band, and wrapping a second hand around said spacer elements, the other two sides and the top of the load to cover said other two sides, with said second hand at the bottom of the load extending in the transverse direction in which said elements are spaced from each other so that a space is provided between said first and second-mentioned bands and between the spacer elements for receiving lift elements such as forks for lifting a load. 7. A package for a load comprising a continuous inner band extending across the bottom and top of the load and including side portions ex tending along one pair of opposite sides of the load, a continuous outer band at right angles to the inner band extending across the bottom and top of the load and including side portions extending along the other pair of opposite sides of the load, means connecting the edges of said side portions of the hands together whereby a rigid four-cornered column of rectangular cross section is formed about the load by said band portions, said means including for each corner of the column a connection adjacent the top and bottom of the load, between adjacent edges of the side portions of the bands, the rigidity of one '7 side portion in a direction paralleling the plane of its face being imparted to the side portion connected thereto, and

spacing elements on the bottom of the load distributed thereover and defining channels for receiving lift elements for lifting the load, said spacing elements being located between said inner and outer bands, and being fastened to the outside of the inner band and unjoined to the outer band.

8. A package for articles stacked in at least two successive tiers, with said articles forming a pillar of subtantially rectangular cross section comprising a pad insert separating the two tiers of said articles in the pillar, first continuous band extending across the bottom and top of the pillar and including side portions extending along one pair of opposite sides of the pillar, said band having a width which is substantially coextensive with the Width of the sides of the pillar that it extends over, second continuous band at right angles to the first extending across the bottom and top of the pillar and including side portions extending along the other pair of sides of the pillar, said second hand having a width which is substantially coextensive with the width of the sides of the pillar that extends over it, and

means connecting the edges of said side portions of the bands together whereby a rigid four-cornered column of rectangular cross section is formed about the articles, said means including for each corner of the column a connection which is adjacent the pad insert separating the two tiers in the pillar of articles.

9. A method of packaging articles comprising stacking the articles to form a pillar with at least a pair of tiers of articles in said pillar, one on top of the other, and said pillar having substantially a rectangular cross section, separating the two tiers of articles in said pillar with a pad insert placed between the two tiers having substantially the outline of the cross section of the pillar, wrapping a band substantially as wide as two opposite sides of the pillar about the top and bottom and said two sides whereby the band extends completely about the pillar, Wrapping another band around the top, bottom and the other two sides of the pillar, with said other band having substantially the width of said other two sides of the pillar, and connecting the two bands Where they extend over the sides of the pillar adjacent the location of the pad insert to form four corners distributed about the pad insert, said connections being etiective to impart the rigidity of each band along a side of the pillar in a direction paralleling its plane to the band connected thereto at said location of the insert.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,422 8/1881 Weed 229-87 2,609,923 9/1952 Simonton 206- 2,630,214 3/1953 Reed 206-46 2,703,645 3/1955 Scrimshaw 206- 2,722,366 11/1955 Carlson 229-49 2,741,361 4/1956 Klein 206-60 2,869,721 1/1959 Baumer 206-65 2,896,781 7/1959 Demarest 206-65 2,915,208 12/1959 Benschoter 214-152 2,979,871 4/1961 Kieckhefer 206-65 3,066,811 12/1962 Board 214-152 FOREIGN PATENTS 513,270 10/1920 France. 484,727 5/ 1938 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE FOR A LOAD COMPRISING A CONTINUOUS INNER BAND SURROUNDING THE LOAD AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP, AND BOTTOM AND ALONG THE TWO SIDES OF THE LOAD, SAID BAND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE WIDTH OF SAID TWO SIDES IT EXTENDS ALONG WHEREBY IT COVERS AND PROTECTS THE TWO SIDES, SPACING ELEMENTS BELOW SAID BAND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAD AND SEPARATED FROM THE LOAD BY PORTIONS OF SAID BAND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAD, SAID SPACING ELEMENTS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER IN A DIRECTION WHICH IS TRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAD EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID TWO SIDES, AND A CONTINUOUS OUTER BAND EXTENDING OVER SAID SPACING ELEMENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAD AND ALSO ACROSS THE TOP AND ALONG THE OTHER TWO SIDES OF THE LOAD, SAID OUTER BAND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAD EXTENDING IN THE TRANSVERSE DIRECTION IN WHICH SAID SPACING ELEMENTS ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, SAID OUTER BAND ALSO HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE WIDTH OF THE TWO SIDES IT SURROUNDS WHEREBY IT PROTECTS AND COVERS THE TWO SIDES, SAID SPACING ELEMENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAD AND BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER BANDS DEFINING CHANNELS FOR RECEIVING LIFT ELEMENTS WHEN LIFTING THE LOAD. 